[ MINGLE ] FORGE AFTER HOURS

[nonstopnarcissist]

WHO: Tony Stark
WHERE: South Village Forge
WHEN: January 8th
OPEN TO: Smitherns (Thor, Brigitte, Annie Cresta, Siefer), Plus Ones, Passers by, and Friends! Anyone, really, come on down.
WARNINGS: Language, discussion of canon typical violence probably, drinking?

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THE HEARTH

With the bulk of the work and chores done for the day, the heart's banked down to a tolerable level rather than steel meltingly hot, positively cozy. Tables are cleared of metal filings and shavings, the floor is swept, extra chairs and seating or overturned crates serve as places to kick back and enjoy the warmth. A large kettle of tea is kept brewing all night, another of coffee, and a jug of cool water for those thirsty with no real requirement RE flavor. There's a rack for coats and scarves when people don't need to be quite so bundled up, and space cleared enough for milling about, tossing ideas back and forth, or simply relaxing. Arguments happen at The Debate Wall, not by the fire.

THE FOOD

It's an eclectic spread- a pot of stew, some crusty bread, frittatas, a few large, simple cheese pizzas, bottles of wine, and whatever other food the Smitherns or their Plus Ones chose to bring. It's a bit of a potluck, food spread out on one table for perusal, plates waiting and a bin for dirty dishes. Tony will scrub up at the end of the night. By the fire there's a waffle iron and as many toppings as they could find for waffles- jams, zalpaca butter, dried fruit, preserved peaches. Serve yourself or sit and sample!

THE CHILL OUT CORNER

For the more introspective or anyone taking a break from The Debate Wall, there's a comfortable chair tucked in the far corner where the light isn't as bright, the sound not quite so loud- and in this chair sits a young Peacat, a smaller pot for tea, and a few books. Elton's a friendly sort and will chirrup to lean for pets or simply sit on a lap and purr, offering calming, quiet company.

THE DEBATE WALL

Scrubbed clean for the night, the wall opposite Tony's Scrawled projects, equations, rules and definitions- currently marked only with a few notes RE proper charcoal use 'It's for the wall, not your hands, not anyone's clothes', the large space cleared for marking out or drawing out- well. Games, hangman, tic-tac-toe, sketches, or debate points. The only other rule listed is 'If you're going to pick a hill to die on, cite your references'.

Comments

[alittlelonger]

"Good, so whenever you dream of hurting him or get in your head about that, just remind yourself. He is safe with you." Rinoa worried for a moment that her powers might kick in if she got a little too empathic, so him putting his arms around himself was helpful. She hadn't learned how to control them and had a feeling until she did, she wouldn't be able to trust it. Even if they were relatively harmless compared to the others.

"So," she said, crossing her own arms. "Are we out of the denial stage now?" As if she wasn't going to comment on that.

[skyward_eyes]

Yeah, it's a good thing he doesn't need a knight or anything, because Nida would definitely offer himself over as one. But that gets him to run his fingers through his hair because damn this whole conversation has him on edge.

Still, the new nightmares aren't helping anything.

"He's safe with m... Wait, what?" Conversation took a twist there, and Nida frowns at Rinoa.

[alittlelonger]

Rinoa just smiles right back at him. "You know what. Are you really going to make me say it again?" She rolls her eyes. Boys. "Am I going to have to shout Nida has a crush out loud?" Of course she never would, in fact she's lowered her voice to deliberately quiet personal tones.

[skyward_eyes]

Well, there is no denying that his face goes red at the words. No. No, he cannot have this conversation with Rinoa. She's... wily? No, that's not right. She's like Selphie. She meddles 'for your own good.' Except she doesn't get it. Billy doesn't want any relationship, he's out of the game, and Nida respects that, even though he has realized just what this tightness in his chest whenever he sees Billy is.

"You wouldn't," Nida grumbles at her. "And I can't believe you're staring on this again."

Not a denial. Not a confirmation. Just a neat sidestepping of the suggestion. If he instead belabors her silly fixation on it, he can probably avoid the question itself, right?

[to_defend]

"I can find you other rocks ..." She doesn't see the purpose of molding rocks when they are literally everywhere, it just takes some digging.

[alittlelonger]

She points at his face and wiggles her fingers. "Blushing! You are ridiculous." It's actually adorable to see Nida flustered like that, and she'd feel bad for teasing, but they're friends so teasing is what she's doing. "You remind me of Squall so much right now. He also was very stubborn and in denial." Rinoa manages to say this without feeling like someone stabbed her in the heart, so hey, progress.

"You can't stop feeling things. You're just going to frustrate yourself."

[skyward_eyes]

He's not in denial. He cares for Billy, deeply, and he knows it. Hyne it's just the worst thing that could be happening in his life right now. Could easily mess up his first real friendship because he can't help but be drawn to Billy.

"When you say that, you assume that I have feelings for him. Cute. Besides, I'm getting plenty of sex. Bull leaves me plenty satisfied and I have the rope marks to prove it some nights."

Maybe that will get her to stop.

[alittlelonger]

Rinoa just shakes her head and snorts. "Really, Nida. That's an amateur move."

"I know you have feelings for him, and you can say whatever gross things you want about someone you're having emotionless sex with, but I see right through you." Like she saw right through Squall and right through Seifer. Who knows, maybe it was a latent sorceress ability. Or a mark of an observant young woman who really got tired of the boys around her. A mix.

[skyward_eyes]

Dammit, why can't she just...

"He's not interested in a relationship with anyone. He said so himself," he says after a moment, irritated. So see, his feelings in this don't matter. "And because you get something in your head, no, I didn't 'make a move.' We were joking around about something and I said I hoped he still had space for me when he found a guy and he just said that."

Not exactly the full truth of it, and it was the hearing that which had really made it sink in for Nida. How he felt. How disappointed he had been.

[alittlelonger]

Rinoa can see that it disappointed him, and that he's sad about it, which probably is why he was in such a mood today. "Nida, he just got here. It's been like two months. He's adjusting to life here and making friends. He probably meant he's not interested in that right now, not forever." She runs her fingers through her hair. "Not everyone is comfortable jumping into romantic or sexual things right away. He might need some time, that's all, and I'm pretty sure he's someone worth waiting for."

She tilts her head at him. "He likes you. But you're going to have to be patient with this one. And don't tell him you're hooking up with other guys, he'll think that's all you care about."

[skyward_eyes]

"No, it's something else."

Someone else. Teddy. All that happened with him. All of Billy's power and his fear of what that means. Somehow those tie together. If there is one thing he knows, it's how to put things together. It's not the here, it's not the now, it's not this place. It's Teddy and whatever happened between them.

And yeah, he would be someone worth waiting for, but the thing is? Nida doesn't buy it, that Billy likes him like that.

"He's not stupid, Rin. I don't doubt he's figured that part out. And it doesn't matter, because he isn't interested. And you're wrong about him liking me. We're friends and just that."

Besides, he's a SeeD. They're not really future thinkers. They're about the right now. And right now? He can't do this. He can't just talk to her about this.

"I... I need to go," he says as he backs away a step. He's already resolved to grab what he can get with both hands, can't you be happy enough with that?

[alittlelonger]

Rinoa wants to stop him, try to soothe whatever's going on with him, but she knows when she's been a little too pushy so she doesn't. She knows she's right, but he doesn't know it, and she can't force him to. He needs to get there on his own. "Okay, Nida. I'll back off." It's the most she can offer right now. Right then she misses Squall so much she can barely breathe, her heart hurting, but she pushes it down.

[skyward_eyes]

"Good night, Rin. And... thanks for your concern," he says, voice soft before he turns to walk off. She needs to know he doesn't hold it against her.

[firacrux]

"It happens," He dismisses. Maybe he doesn't like it, necessarily, then again he has no strong feelings one way or another. After all, when everyone else thinks they're right on their side Seifer's trained to be the one called in for whoever can foot the bill. He holds no real allegiances, or at least that's what he's trained to do. Actually doing it is much harder. When you don't have a Sorceress in your brain anyway. "Most places do," He agrees. His world's is as well.

"So, did your world have anything like Garden? A full-scale mercenary military?"

[firacrux]

"Half," He agreed readily. He'll accept half. He can't lose so hard to Rhodey that no one would eat his pancakes, after all. That would be just too damning a defeat. Have to put up his cooking hat forever and then Nida would be sad.

It was, yet maybe it was good for them to enjoy a little excess while they could. Before things grew too depressing.

"Me? I'm boring, good old maple syrup. I'll put just about anything on 'em though. Ain't picky, how about you?" Come to think of it he was rather partial to butter pecan when he could get it. Good luck in getting it. Seifer ate quickly, scarfing down meals like he was on a schedule. Which, where he came from, he was. At all times.

[nonstopnarcissist]

"I'll wait until you've had a round at the Debate Wall." Which he'll...probably keep up after this. It's a good way to argue, drawing out your points and debating with facts. Most of the time.

That rule probably won't last but hey, he can dream.

[nonstopnarcissist]

"Unfortunately, Spartacus, we're not that kind of magic." Or any kind of magic, not really. "There's a machine in the bunker you can purchase powers from but other than that? Couldn't tell you."

They work with what they have, doing the best they can with what they've got on hand or can fashion for themselves- hoping for a magic cure-all? Isn't in the cards. "I mean if you really want something that'll generate electricity- I'll need copper wire and a magnet- you used to swing it pretty fast when you were getting ready to fly, right? That might be enough...it wouldn't be the same as lightning-"

He squints into the middle distance, snagging a scrap of charcoal to start sketching out the beginnings of the idea. Power generated by magnets and motion- maybe a hammer-shaped tazer? How could that possibly go wrong, right?

[nonstopnarcissist]

"Private Military Groups- usually they didn't do the academy slash orphanage approach. More often than not they were from other militias or militaries and retired or hopped over because the pay is better on account of charging out the nose for shady work." He scrubs a hand along his jaw, lips pressed thin. "I never sold them anything but boy did they love to ask."

Stark Tech remains the best possible option outside of Wakanda, so it's not all that surprising.

[nonstopnarcissist]

"Give it time. Something 'thrilling' will happen sooner or later." A wild animal, random magic, a plague- "But it's impossible to peg down exactly what it'll be- so. That's a bitch and a half."

Expect the unexpected. And the insane.

And the mundane, even.

[firacrux]

He nods, Garden itself is a morally questionable model what with the orphans turned war machine. "Don't know the details but I'm pretty sure Garden charged out the nose too, well B. Garden, the one Nida and I are from, did anyway. That one had the specialists. G. Garden was more standard military." Didn't use Guardian Force, thus also no excessive paramagic. "That's right! Bruce was tellin' me about your suits." He brightens up, remembering that excitement. "You'll have to tell me about 'em sometime, they sound awesome."

Even if he weren't military he'd find the idea of a super suit incredible. Who wouldn't. Wakanda was kind of his world's Esthar. Crazy advanced and everyone thought it didn't exist anymore. "Ain't surprised they'd hit you up. Everyone wants a leg up in warfare."

[notyourrookie]

"Great. I just love surprises." The sarcasm is palpable. Surprises usually mean that someone is gonna die, or something is going to go horribly wrong. "I'd rather deal with boring and predictable. For the most part." As long as he can keep moving and do things, keep occupied, rather than sit staring at a cell wall for the majority of the day.

[rebornpaladin]

Shiro's hand is half lifted to offer it to the peacat for inspection but he hesitates, eyebrows lifting.

"That's.... incredible. I've run into a lot of interesting species off-world but Elton, I can honestly say I've never seen anything like you."

More directly to Tony, he adds, "or anything that so strongly resembled Earth animals, to be honest."

[313_248_317_60]

"Your concern is touching." The smirk twists. "But I'm not going to be here long."

In this gathering or this island. He needs to get back. To CyberLife, where new orders await him. To Detroit, where his predecessor's failures have already nearly brought the industry to a halt. It's been days since he lost contact with Amanda, and Connor's smile nearly slips—but somehow, the tight panic floats just out of reach. It's... strangely easy to dismiss. The android's eyes shift to the middle distance, LED flickering slightly as he checks over his processing logs. He's... confident?

...of course he is. He'll make it back.

First, of course, he needs to stand. Connor's gaze flicks back to meet the human's, expression calmly, coldly pleasant as he settles one hand pointedly atop Stark's pet. "I'm getting up now." His fingers curl, framing the shape of its small... fragile... head.

How much force would it take to move the creature? How much to cause irreparable damage? Less than 200 newtons, Connor thinks.

Stark can get it off him. Or he will.

[mediumhoodie]

Kat quickly finished her waffle and then placed her plate on her lap. She didn't know how people normally split food. She was used to rougher eating conditions and decided to wait to see how Seifer wanted to handle it. It wouldn't be weird sharing a single plate when you lived on the streets but this.. was different.

She really didn't know what she should do.

"That sounds good. I'm honestly not used to choosing what I eat. I've always just ate what was available. I like butter and syrup but not too much because overly sweet things make me tired." Kat didn't eat a lot of sweets.

Sweets were too expensive.

hearth

[whipshots]

Seifer's taken quiet refuge by the fire and started sketching -- a little bit brooding, a little bit out-of-place, but Brigitte soon swoops down on him with impunity. She's been floating cheerfully around the forge mingle, far more in her element than at the formal party, but she still gravitates naturally towards the people she knows a bit better. She pulls up another chair for herself, settling into it with legs tucked neatly beneath her, bowl of stew balanced against her knee. Even social butterflies need a break, sometimes.

"What're you working on?"